Evaluation of Antimicrobial Properties of Natural Food Preservatives (salt and Lime)

The increasing demand for safe, natural, and chemical-free food products has led to intensified research into natural alternatives to synthetic preservatives. This study evaluates the antimicrobial properties of two widely available natural food preservatives salt (sodium chloride) and lime (Citrus aurantifolia), against common food spoilage microorganisms. The antimicrobial activity was assessed through the agar well diffusion method, using different concentrations of salt and freshly extracted lime juice on microbial isolates from visibly spoiled food samples. The results demonstrated significant inhibition zones for both preservatives, with enhanced efficacy when used in combination, indicating a synergistic effect. Salt exhibited strong antimicrobial activity by reducing water activity and creating a hyperosmotic environment that inhibits microbial growth (Chua, 2023), while lime's efficacy was attributed to its low pH and high citric acid content, which disrupts microbial cell membranes (Teshome et al., 2022). The findings align with current research emphasizing the relevance of natural preservatives in addressing public health concerns and meeting consumer expectations for clean-label food products (Gyawali & Ibrahim, 2016; Sharma et al., 2021). Additionally, natural agents like salt and lime are cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and readily accessible, making them suitable for sustainable food preservation practices, especially in resource-limited settings (Adebayo & Oloke, 2018). Given the growing concerns over the safety of synthetic additives and the global shift towards sustainable food systems.